I have written a Contemporary Middle Grade Novel and, after several rewrites, it's been sent out into the agent stratosphere.

This morning I got a response from my query to send the full manuscript.

Crossing fingers that she likes it as much as my daughers and friends do.

Rachel's new book Prequel is coming out in October. She announced her book tour on her show tonight. She will be in 12 major cities across the country. The cost is $45.00 per ticket, which includes a copy of the book.

This will sell out very fast. Please go online to msnbc.com/prequel and order your tickets now.

I went to her event for Blowout a few years ago. The guys sitting next to me paid $400.00!

Thinking about him today for some reason.

Oh, how I do miss him.

Sigh.

My daughter is getting married at Breckenridge in Colorado next summer. It's 9,000 feet of elevation there. When I visited her recently in Boulder (5,000 ft.), I struggled. I'm quite afraid of the higher elevation we will experience for the wedding. Don't really want to pass out or vomit during the ceremony.

Anybody have any suggestions to help with this? I have seen a recommendation to take a few weeks to acclimate - but that's not really a solution.

Be very jealous!



We were attending a college women's basketball tournament this weekend. At lunch yesterday, my husband spotted a bunch of people wearing fan shirts. He remarked to them about how well the team was playing. Engaged in a friendly conversation. A woman walked by and joined them. I knew I recognized her from somewhere. Certainly out of context situation.

She got up and came over to our table to chat about basketball.

And I asked her - "Are you Susan Rice?"

She said "Yes." and shook our hands. Asked our names.

And then went back to discussing basketball.

Coolest thing ever! Wish I had told her how much I respect her work.

This is progress for me. I had written a middle grade novel a little while ago and put it aside.

It really needed serious editing, so I did! The difficult part about the editing process is that we writers all love our very clever words. Understanding that no matter how clever those words are, if they don't advance the narrative, then they need to be cut.

Finished the edit after cutting a good bit out, and ended up with a 45,000 word masterpiece.

Did some online research on Agentquery.com and found someone suitable.

So off it went.

Cross fingers for me.

And all you other DU writers - consider this a nudge from me to get back at it.